Why Does My Parrot Bite Me?

Why Does My Parrot Bite Me?

Parrot biting is a troubling problem for someone who loves their bird but can not seem to do anything near him without being attacked. You might be asking why your bird, which was supposedly hand-fed when young, is so aggressive. Understanding the reason for your birds behavior is an important step to building a trusting and safe relationship with your pet.

Is your bird still quite young? He might just be using his beak to do a little exploring and not intending to hurt you. Curiosity might be causing him to wrap his beak around everything in sight, including your fingers. Unfortunately he may not understand just how powerful his muscles are and might easily clamp down hard enough to injure you.

Is your parrot appearing to be affectionate but attempting to bite you when you get too close? If his movements to you are slow and relaxed perhaps he is not trying to harm you at all but rather give you a beak 'kiss'. This is when a hook-billed bird will open their mouth and gently put their beak around your finger for just an instant and then stop without applying any significant pressure. This is an overture of affection and not an act of aggression.

Is your parrot in molt? The molting process can be pretty stressful for a parrot. Much like some people, when a bird is uncomfortable he can become cranky. He may feel so miserable the idea of ​​being handled, touched or just plain interacted with becomes very unappealing.

Is your bird the possessive type? Certain parrots are very possessive of everything they have claimed as theirs, including people. When you mess with something of theirs they take it as a personal confrontation and they will let you know by attacking you.

Does your bird always seem angry? Some birds are aggressive by nature. It seems to just be their underlying personality. HOWEVER, this is not as common as you might think. And most often an apparently mean bird will end up being a wonderfully good and gentle companion once you have established a trust relationship with him.

The good news is a biting parrot need not always be a biting parrot. With a little instruction and the application of some general training techniques nearly any pet bird can be 'cured' of the biting habit. The rewards of such training go way beyond stopping undesired behavior by improving the bond you have with your feathered friend.